This invention relates generally to sports equipment and associated hardware, and more specifically to an improved apparatus for locating a snow ski that has become detached from a skier""s ski boot and is buried in snow or otherwise not visible to the skier.
Snow skiing, and particularly downhill or xe2x80x9calpinexe2x80x9d skiing, is a popular sport. When a snow skier falls and any stress (above an adjustable, predetermined level) is applied to the boot-to-ski binding system, the bindings are designed to release so that the ski and binding detach from the boot. This avoids injury to the skier by preventing excessive torque to the skier""s leg. Under normal groomed snow conditions a ski braking system engages upon release of the binding, and the ski comes to a stop. It is relatively easy for the skier to then recover the ski and reattach it to the ski boot.
Under conditions of un-groomed powder snow, after release of the safety binding system (and when retainer straps are not used by the skier), the ski will typically sink down into the powder snow, and it can be difficult or impossible for the skier to find the lost ski. Skiers usually poke through the snow with a ski pole hoping to strike the ski to locate and recover it. This exercise can be difficult and very time-consuming, since the skier has no information on the general location of the ski.
Numerous devices have been developed in an effort to aid the skier in locating such a displaced ski. For example, Petaja U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,433 discloses an emergency locator beacon for skis utilizing a strobe light activated by a trigger mechanism operative to sense the separation of the ski equipment from the user. Yeski U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,322 teaches a runaway ski locator which activates an audible signaling device when a cable is disconnected (as by the release of the ski). Pruett U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,523 teaches a ski beeper which is automatically activated when the ski boot releases from the binding and ski. Rowan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,331 discloses a ski alarm system which energizes an audible alarm in response to the output from a movement detector on the indication of absence of movement for a predetermined time. Meyers et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,689 teaches a ski alarm apparatus with a separation detect mode in which an alarm is triggered by the disconnection of a tether cord. However, these known devices are believed to be impractical in use, or exhibit significant power consumption resulting in short battery life.
The apparatus for locating skis beneath snow of this invention provides an improved system to assist a skier in locating an unattached ski in powder snow after a fall. The inventive apparatus includes an audible alarm member which is placed on the ski, preferably releasably, and a remote hand-held trigger or activator member held by the skier. The skier can trigger the alarm member by operating a switch on the remote activator member. The sound emitted by the alarm will allow the skier to locate the direction and position of the lost ski after a fall.
The remote activator member preferably includes a two-channel transmitter. The transmitter is preferably small in size, capable of being handheld, and should include two buttons (or a single multiposition button). The audible alarm member preferably consists of a receiver, a signal generator and an electro-acoustic transducer. Each alarm member is attached to its respective ski, either releasably or permanently, though preferably the former, and is so attached to be in front of or behind the ski binding area. Alternatively, each alarm member may be incorporated into the binding assembly itself, either in the toe member or heel member of the binding system. Each alarm member (i.e., one on the left ski and one on the right ski) is responsive to only one of the two buttons on the transmitter. The remote trigger transmits an RF or other suitable triggering signal to the alarm member receivers. The activated alarm member emits a loud sound signal, per the electro-acoustic specifications.
The ski finder of this invention thus provides a practical and efficient means to detect the general location of the lost ski in order to speed the search.